The charming beachfront path between Pedro Point and Crespi became somewhat less charming last August when thieves stole the memorial plaques from many of the benches along the path. The missing plaques left behind empty indentations in the benches that were a silent reminder of the meaner side of human nature. Happily, the plaques have recently been restored. Paid for by the City of Pacifica’s Public Works Department, the replacement plaques bear the same inscriptions as the original plaques, according to Aren Clark, the city’s Public Works superintendent. But they are made of aluminum rather than bronze, in the hope that the lower resale value of scrap aluminum will discourage thieves. They’re also glued into the benches with a stronger, industrial-strength epoxy, Clark said.